Soul Reaper Princess
by Kazi-Kun
Summary: Ichigo meets the mysterious Hotaru who knows about Soul Reapers but is still alive. Once more, He finds a new ally, a female Soul Reaper and her Shinigami!
1. Chapter 1

Kazuma: First Bleach-Sailor Moon Fic! Love me! Praise me! Give me a cookie!

Ichigo: -gives Kazuma a cookie wearing a smile- Here ya go, Kazuma.

Kaz: -big eyes and a big simle- Ichigo-kun gave me a cookie! All bow the Bishi Soul Reaper!

Ichigo: -Looks at Rukia- I like this kid.

Rukia: -scowls at him- on;y because she crushes on every bishounen character in sight.

Kaz: -cookie half hanging out of her mouth- so? what's wrong with that?

* * *

Bleach/Sailor Moon

"Soul Reaper Princess"

Ichigo sat cross-legged in front of his mother's grave, just staring at the placid white stone and deep black writing. He missed his mother but the battle with the Grand Fisher King had taken a psychological toll on the deputy Soul Reaper. He didn't know what to do and to avoid anyone ease dropping on his personal thoughts, he kept quiet and just stared off into space.

"If you're not careful, you'll get attacked by a ghoul and lose your soul."

"That's not funny, Ruk-" Ichigo growled turning to hit the Soul Reaper who recruited him but his anger melted away. A girl with shoulder length black hair in a semi ponytail, tied with a scarf, was standing beside him in a white sundress. "Oh, uh, sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"There's this ghoul that's called Grave Lurker. He hangs around cemeteries and such, looking for souls and Soul Reapers." She told him after he turned back to his mother's grave. Ichigo looked up at her as soon as he heard the words "Soul Reapers" come out of her mouth. "He especially likes Soul Reapers. They're his favorite."

Ichigo slowly rose to his feet. "Who are you? How do you know about Soul Reapers?"

The girl just gave him a small smile. "My name's Hotaru and you're Ichigo. Rukia's gonna pay big time for bringing a _human_ into this kinda work." She tapped his nose playfully. "Why do you want to know how I know?"

"Because it's unusual for humans to know about such things." Ichigo grabbed her wrist. "Now, tell me how you know about Soul Reapers."

Hotaru's purple eyes shined behind her glasses as she looked away. "I only know because my Father was a Soul Reaper…" Ichigo slowly released her wrist. "…He was one after my mother died and I had…other responsibilities…it consumed him as much as his work did as a human…you have the same aura marker as he did when he was alive…"

Ichigo suddenly hugged her and held her close to comfort her. Hotaru clutched his shirt front and tears filled her eyes. She buried her face into his chest and her shoulders shook as she broke down completely. Ichigo didn't let her go. He let her cry and get it all off her shoulders.

* * *

Hotaru: Wow, I like this Ichigo guy. A real sensitive dude, he is. 

Ichigo: -puts arm around Hotaru's shoulders- I like you too, Firefly.

Kazuma: -grabs camera- I so have to capture this moment for my bulleton board -CLICK-


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II! Yay!

**Harpygirl91**: Yes, it is awesome!

**Taeniaea:** Sad? yeah...it is.

**Ariela Titan**: Demand granted.

**moifah:** Hooked, you say? Well, let me feed that hooked-ness.

**lil-saturn-goddess**: WHy, thank you

**Hoshiko Megami**: Here-I updated. :p

* * *

"Feeling better?" Ichigo asked as Hotaru sniffed back the aftermath of her breakdown.

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "Yes, I do. Thank you. I don't know what made me break down like that. All my friends turn to me and see my mask, thinking that's the real me."

"But it's not, is it?" The Soul Reaper earned a "no" with a head shake. "How can you tell what someone is by just looking at them?"

"Don't really know myself. It was just a talent I was born with." Hotaru shrugged. "It's like how I know your Astrological sign and year you were born. Not to mention, what level your crystal is at. It's hard to die and come back repeatedly and I do it for a living now as I have for centuries before."

Ichigo was surprised by that remark. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm not from around here. I may live here on Earth but my home is really far away. It's the second star passed the belt." Hotaru pointed up at the sky. "It's home but it's also hell. I'm the last of my kind and my home is covered in graves and monsters. And those monsters are after my blood. They believe that if they consume my blood-they can blend into human society and feast till they've had their unlimited hunger."

"Feast?" Ichigo asked, leaning on his knees. "What do they eat?"

Hotaru's eyes hardened as her arm dropped slowly. "They feed on human flesh-the fresher, the better. And the living flesh can give them greater powers. I've had to fight them in the dead bodies of my fallen comrades. It's not pretty to spill their blood. It's acid and it reeks. It makes you sick and its scent never leaves your memory. It also clings to your aura. No matter how many times I've died and come back, it's still there. I can't smell it but I can feel it. It's a disgusting, foul feeling that cannot be washed away."

"What are these 'They'?" He inquired as Hotaru flopped back onto the grass of the lawn next to the cemetery. "Are they like Hollows?"

Hotaru stared at the night's sky, her eyes colder than ice. "No…they're nothing like Hollows…they're a whole lot worse…they make Hollows look like sweethearts and angels."

"Hollows looking like sweethearts and angels…" Ichigo repeated, imagining it. He couldn't help but laugh. "That's just too funny."

Hotaru sat up and looked at him. "What's so funny? Hollows aren't that nice either."

"Yeah, I know but can you imagine what a Hollow would look like helping a little old lady across the street or wearing wings, a halo and a choir robe with a harp?" Ichigo asked. Hotaru thought about it and started laughing herself. "See? That's just something funny."

"I can see what you mean." Hotaru's whole mood brightened up. "I needed that. Thanks, Ichigo."

Ichigo gave her a big smile. "Don't mention it. I'm glad I could bring a smile back to your face." Hotaru got off the grass and dusted off the back of her dress. "You know what? I think I've figured out who you are."

"Really?" Ichigo nodded. "Okay, Ichigo, who am I?"

"One of the Sailor Senshi." That surprised Hotaru but she smiled again with a laugh.

"Well, would you believe that? A deputy Soul Reaper figured out half my riddle." Hotaru gently crossed her arms with a kind smile. "But the question is can you finish my riddle and say which one I am?"

"Yep, I can do that, too." Ichigo nodded again. "You're the one in purple with the Glaive. You're Sailor Saturn."

"I'll be damned in the after life. You actually got it. I'm proud of you, Ichigo. You're the first one to get my name right the first time." Hotaru laughed, a little more relaxed. "Bravo, I'm proud of you. Can you tell me how you got to that conclusion?"

"Oh, that's easy. You told me you weren't from Earth and that your home was really far away. You didn't say from Tokyo or this district so that meant you weren't from this planet or the Moon. You're too dark haired and eyed as well as too naturally pale to be from Venus or Mercury. And you're not a hot head so that ruled out Mars." Ichigo explained, pointing out the clues she had left for him. "And I assumed by 'the belt' you meant the Asteroid Belt and the 'Second Star' is Saturn. You and her have the same hair and eye colors as well as the same body structure and the way you talk about dying-it matches the way Saturn talks about it. And 'They' that you kept mentioning had haunted Saturn's memories for years; that's why you take extra special care in destroying the enemies' bodies. Oh, and let's not forget that you told me about your 'born-with' gifts."

Hotaru clapped her hands. "I like you, Ichigo. You're a real Terran after my own heart. I'm proud of you. You figured all of that out all on your own and in less than 10 minutes. You should be proud of yourself. Not many can tell me who I am after moments after meeting me."

"Are you headed home, Hotaru?" The part time Soul Reaper asked, noticing that Hotaru was beginning to walk away.

"Yes, I am. I'm afraid I was supposed to go home after getting off my rounds of Patrol." Hotaru nodded. "I saw your inner light and I just had to come warn you about the Grave Lurker, even if that ghoul wasn't a complete idiot."

"I'll walk you home. You maybe a Sailor Senshi but everyone has their trade offs for powers like ours." Ichigo told her getting up himself. "I have to be dead and I'm betting you're not all that physically strong." He offered her his arm. "So, shall I have the honor of escorting you home, my lady?"

"Oh, knock that off, Ichigo. You're being too silly for words."


	3. Chapter 3

Deals made with a devil in one hot bod...-light bulb goes on, evil grin, glancing at still caged plushies- hmmmmm...

* * *

Far across town from the cemetery where Ichigo and Hotaru met, there was a beast with a skull white mask and a whole in its chest slurping up the last few lengths of chain from his meal. It had a soul pinned under its hand, unconscious and started to devour him next.

"What a mighty creature demoted to such a lowly existence." A cool, handsome voice said smoothly. The beast looked up as the end links of chain disappeared into its mouth. A young man stood on the graveyard path in a white suit with tassels and a white cape that had a blue inside. His white hair fell around his face and dark coal gray eyes. Earring peeked their tips from the bottom of his hair and a black crescent stood out on his forehead. "How pitiful Hollows like yourself have become just because of those Soul Reapers. It is truly discouraging for all those who feed off energy the human body produces, be it a soul or crystal energy."

"Wha' do ya wan', Mortal?" The Hollow asked, eyeing what appeared to be his next meal. The man laughed a cold icy laugh, making even the Hollow shiver.

"Mortal…that's a good joke but I am far from being 'mortal'." The man's laughter died down to be instantly sober with an icy smirk. "I am Prince Diamond of Nemesis. I have come seeking your help, Hollow Grave Lurker."

"Is dat so?" Grave Lurker asked, unimpressed by the title or the young man. "An' wha' do ya haff to offa a Hollow such as mehself? I don' do charity work, lil' man."

Diamond's smirk stayed in place but he didn't approve of being talked down to. "I will give you the Soul Society's most powerful Soul Reaper in return. I assume you know of which one I speak?"

"Yeah, I know 'er." Grave Lurker rubbed its side with a hand, a scar traveling down the length and one of his lesser arms missing. "Got more dan I bargained fo' fightin' 'er. Wha' do ya wan' fo' 'er?"

"Easy. I want the one that will become Queen of the White Moon in my time, the one called Sailor Moon. She will become Neo Queen Serenity and without her, the Soul Society-their unknown ally through Endymion-will send their most powerful Soul Reapers after you. I will decimate the Earth Prince, dissolving their only way home." Diamond explained. "This would leave them here on Earth for you to eat at your leisure. What do you say to that, Master Grave Lurker?"

The Hollow thought about it, rubbing its chin as it pondered the offer. All this man wanted was one girl while the Hollow itself got the most powerful Soul Reaper and the runners-up for a meal? It sounded too good to be true but then again, when was another guy willing to kill to get just one woman in exchange for its favorite food?

"I woo' haff ta say ya got yo'sef a deal, Lil' Man."

* * *

Uh, Grave Lurker's got a kind of Cajin accent when he talks. The Soul Reaper Princess did a number on him their last encounter and he wants pay back. 


	4. Chapter 4

When there's a blip on the radar, all avalible Senshi come on down.

* * *

"Pluto! Look out!"

"Look out for wh-AAH!" Pluto hit the glass shop window, cracking it to the emergency sheet behind it. "What the hell was that?"

Saturn watched the Hollow throw Jupiter aside like a rag doll. "It's a Hollow! Only those with spiritual abilities can see them!"

Mars ignited her Martian flames. _"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"_

The sacred flame actually burned the Hollow's leg to make it face Saturn and Mars at last. The Silent Warrior gasped, her gloved hands flying to her mouth. It was the Grave Lurker Hollow-the one she had warned Ichigo about.

"Mars-out of my way!" Saturn ordered, gathering her Gatekeeper energy. Mars leapt out of the way as Grave Lurker zeroed in on Saturn. _"SILENCIA DESTROYER!"_

Her attack hit dead center, damaging the Soul Reaper eating Hollow. Grave Lurker was pissed, its blood splashing the street. She knew it wanted her soul now but she was the Soulless Senshi-the perfect match for battling this monster.

_"SOUL DESOLATION CANNON!"_ Her next attack was brand new, making her feel a little tired. Grave Lurker tried to get away but it didn't dodge in time. With an explosion, it was sent back, beaten and bloody. Saturn dropped to a knee as she tried to catch her breath. "That…that new attack took more out of me than I had previously surmised…" _If I'm attacked now, I won't have enough power to attack in return. The best I could do would be to raise my shield in order to stave off the bastard for a little while. What I need is a Soul Reaper I can trust with my secret and some of my power. I need Ichigo!_

"Ya lil' bi'ch!" Grave Lurker charged, its mouth open. It had caught Saturn completely by surprise. Without hesitating, She summoned her shield but her Silence Wall never came. Instead, she was in its jaws. "I'll eat yo' flesh an' drin' yo' blood to flava dat bootiful so' of yo's!"

It bit down hard, biting her body. "AAAH!" She tried to push its jaw upward. "L-Let me go, you stupid bastard! I said 'let me go'!" Saturn gathered her power with in her. _"DESOLATION REAPER!"_ Spears of light pierced Grave Lurker's body from the inside but it didn't drop her. It only bit down harder. "GAH! AAAAAAH! ICHIGO!"

"LET HER GO, YOU DAMN BASTARD!" The large blade slashed Grave Lurker's stomach, forcing it to drop Saturn's heavily injured body like a rag doll on the ground. "Sailor Saturn! Hang on-I'll get you out of here! Just hang on until Rukia and Kon come! Don't you pass out on me-goddammit!"

"I…I've used up all my power…I can barely stay in this form… coughcough-blayh " Okay, so it wasn't pretty to glance back at the bloody warrior as she threw up her own crimson life force onto the black road way. "Ichigo…the others…they're unconscious…but Mars…I can't feel her…"

"She's the red one right?" Ichigo looked around and saw the 2nd black haired senshi. She was half thrown through a wall. "She's down for the count-like the others!"

"…without her energy…I can't heal myself to heal them…" Saturn threw up more blood. Ichigo felt bad for her. He must've transferred some of his energy to her aura while they spoke together the night before. That had to be the reason why Grave Lurker attacked her.

"Stay with me, Saturn! Don't pass out on me!" Ichigo called to Saturn as he blocked the Hollow's attack. "I am NOT telling the Soul Society that I lost one of the Sailor Senshi!"

Saturn struggled to stay conscious and Ichigo knew it was a real fight for her but he was not willing to lose her. He prayed Rukia and Kon-who was in his body-would hurry up to get Saturn out of this chaotic place in time to save her life.

* * *

:Hotaru: I got my ass kicked? By a GHOST?!

Ichigo: Hey, at least I got to save you.

Kaz: -sweatdrop- oh, brother...


	5. Chapter 5

Did Rukia and Kon make it in time?

* * *

Hotaru sat up with a gasp and grabbed her searing side. She wasn't on the street battlefield any more. No, she was in a bedroom that was obviously that of a boy her age. And the owner of the room was asleep by the bed in his desk chair. Hotaru's aura rising should've woken him up but he didn't even move.

"Kon wore my body out yesterday. I carried you back here as a Soul Reaper." Ichigo got up off the floor from his spot under his window. "I can't go back into my body until my strength returns so, for now, I'm standing guard over my friend from the Grave Lurker after she foolishly attacked a Hollow-the very Hollow she, herself, warned me about.."

"I am so sorry, Ichigo…I didn't know it was a Hollow until Pluto said she couldn't see it." Hotaru apologized, looking away. "Mars and I were the only ones who could see it and in turn, hurt it. So, naturally…"

"So, naturally you and her took the most damage." Ichigo sat on the edge of his bed as Hotaru pulled her knees to her chest. "I saw that you developed a few new attacks. Does that happen a lot?"

Hotaru shook her head slowly. "Not really. My Sailor Crystal has to evolve in order to support my power when I get a flux from my Father Star. My power is sealed away for the most part but it's supposed to 'trickle' in after every 20 fights or so. This hasn't been the same pattern after the battle with Galaxia. And now…well, you saw what happened. I got 2 new attacks. I usually only get one-but I got 2."

"Yeah, and those two attacks did damage to the Grave Lurker." The deputy Soul Reaper nodded, showing that he understood. "Your father's Soul Reaper energy must've altered your crystal in some way. That had to be why your new attacks hurt this Hollow."

Hotaru laid her head on her knees, ignoring the pain in her body, it screaming for relief. Even now, things hadn't changed. Her body still hurt and her powers were just as unpredictable as always. God, this was all getting annoying. Absent-mindedly, she started to hum a tune that her mother would sing whenever things got too much for her. It seemed like a lifetime ago-but it was more like 10 or 12 by now. Rebirthing always did screw with Hotaru's biological clock.

"That's pretty…like it comes from the soul." Ichigo said softly to Hotaru. Hotaru looked up at him, her humming fading away. "I felt…I felt strangely empowered."

The Silent Senshi put her hand to his chest and he felt her power tenderly reach into his core. "Now, that is an odd development…your crystal has been marked by something. It could be my crystal radiation but then again, being a Soul Reaper…"

"Uh, yeah, me being a Soul Reaper…" Ichigo put a hand on top of hers that was still on his chest. "I'll take you home, okay? Just let me kick Kon out of my body and I'll be your happy escort."

"All right…" Hotaru blushed as she realized how close they were. "Um…my clothes were damaged before I had a chance to transform…"

Ichigo gave her a gentle smile, putting his forehead to hers. "It'll be okay. I'll lend you some of my clothes. And I know just what to give you to wear."

Hotaru blushed deeper, their distance even less than before. As Ichigo got off his bed, Kon-in the Soul Reaper's body-woke up with drowsy "huh?" before getting kicked out by the body's owner. The stuffed lion grumbled, picking himself off the ground by Ichigo's bed. This was getting weirder and weirder every second of every day.

0-0-0

"Ichigo-why in the hell is that girl doing in your clothes!?"

"Karin-watch your mouth!" Yuzu chided her sister. "She's Ichigo's friend and his friends are like family!"

Ichigo looked at Hotaru in a pair of his jeans and a baseball orange on lighter orange tee shirt that she was almost swimming in. She looked pretty cute with the green headband keeping her hair out of her face and glasses. The cuffs of the jeans had to be rolled up several times and Ichigo had to dig out a belt from one of his drawers but at least Hotaru had clothes to wear now.

"Karin, Yuzu-this is Hotaru Tomoe. She'll be coming and going with me a lot so be nice or else." Ichigo warned his sisters. He turned his attention to Hotaru. "Want some breakfast before I take you home? Yuzu's one hell of a cook."

Yuzu blushed at the compliment. "Oh, Brother, that was sweet. It's okay if you want something to eat. I made extra just in case."

"Oh, thank you." Hotaru gave Yuzu a polite bow and Ichigo just laughed at her a little. "And what happens to be your entertainment if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"Oh, nothing, really. Just you being overly polite." The Soul Reaper smiled.

Hotaru stuck her tongue at him in retaliation. Ichigo gently tugged on her tongue until they realized what was happening. They looked away from each other with a blush. Can you say "Awkward"?

* * *

AWWW! They like each other!

Grave Lurker: Why din't ya lemme ea' her?

Kaz: -whaps GL over the head and points towards a cage- Did I tell you that you're allowed out? No! I told you to stay in the damned cage!


	6. Chapter 6

Enter Lord Four-Eyed-Bible Thumper!

* * *

"Ichigo! Ichigo!"

Ichigo and Hotaru stopped and turned to see Uryuu jogging towards them. Hotaru pointed at him innocently.

"Who is he, Ichigo? A friend of yours from school or a rival that just happens to be attending the same junior high as you?" She asked curious as the Quincy finally caught up to them. "Oh, my father used to wear a bracelet like that when he was a kid. That was before he spoke out against the way things were and then disendowed himself. I think he took his bracelet to the grave, or at least that was the plan…"

"You're the daughter of a Quincy!?" Uryuu asked in shock after looking at the cross around his wrist. He grabbed Hotaru's shoulders and gave her a couple shakes. Hotaru dropped the bag she was carrying and Ichigo stepped in with a good upper cut to Uryuu's jaw.

"You gotta be gentle with her, you ass!" Ichigo snapped. "She's injured, you bastard!"

Hotaru put her hand on his shoulder and shook her head when he looked back at her. Ichigo sighed and picked up her bag off the ground. Kon, who had been riding inside, was dizzy from the drop but he went back into Hotaru's bag all the same.

"Come on, Hotaru. You need to get home before your guardians worry." Ichigo put his arm around Hotaru's shoulders to lead her away. Uryuu picked himself off the ground and ran after them.

"Why the hell did you just hit me?" The Quincy demanded keeping up with them.

Ichigo shot him a "you gotta be kidding me" type of look. "Well, duh. You were hurting her. I know where all of her wounds are so I know exactly where to touch her. Just grabbing her shoulders might've damaged the patch up job I did. After all, Grave Lurker did a real number on her."

Hotaru stopped and gasped. She pushed Ichigo and Uryuu out of the way as she dropped the shopping bag full of her clothes. Bringing her hands forward, her power flickered to a dull glow of her symbol on her forehead. Whatever she sensed struck the flimsy shield and sent her backwards, tumbling into the ground. Ichigo pushed the Quincy off of him and looked over at his fallen friend.

"Hotaru!" The Soul Reaper ran to the injured girl's side as she struggled to push herself up to her feet. "Whoa-hey, you're still hurt, remember? You're going to kill yourself."

"Then I'll come back as a baby. It's no different that before." Hotaru pushed Ichigo back a bit. "I still have my reserves so I can still fight! _SATURN CRYSTAL POWER-MAKE UP!"_

Uryuu had to shield his eyes as Hotaru was engulfed by an unearthly light. When she landed back on her feet, Sailor Saturn-_Eternal_ Sailor Saturn with her Silence Glaive in hand and an icy glare in her eyes. She was not messing around.

"Show yourself, infidel." The cold temperament made Ichigo inwardly shiver. Hotaru was really cruel as a Sailor Senshi. Laughter filled the air as a man in a dark blue jacket and white slacks stepped into view.

"Like the look, Mars. Better than that shade of red you were wear when last we met." He said as if it was both a compliment and an insult. Saturn arched an eyebrow.

"You seriously just didn't mistake me for a weak inner Senshi, did you? Because if you did, then I'd have to be insulted and insulting one of the Outer 4 isn't the best thing to do when that one is me." She responded with ice and venom.

The enemy looked shocked. "One of the Outer 4? Which one are you? Pluto? Neptune? No-Uranus!"

"I just love idiots. They're so stupid." She shot back sarcastically. The young man froze in fear.

"N-no! T-t-that's not possible!" He took a step back in fear. "Y-y-you're supposed to be sealed away!"

"I've done the impossible before." Saturn shot back loftily. Her Glaive disappeared suddenly from her grasp, making her stumble a bit. _Oh, shit! I used most of my reserves up transforming! I'm as defenseless as the Inners!_

The man fired off an energy ball, catching her in the stomach. Saturn collapsed to her knees, hugging her stomach, trying to ease the pain. "If you're the strongest then the others must be weaker than the Inners!"

"Wait…I know who you are…" Saturn coughed, falling onto all fours. "…I've seen the records Mercury kept…I studied them, unlike the others…I learned from the past since I have none of my own…The best thing about having amnesia is that you're not hindered by past lovers and you…you don't get cocky or dependant…on your power because it's that sense…of loss that makes you depend on your other abilities…I know how you fight,_ Prince Sapphire of Nemesis_…I'm never going to fall victim to you ever again…"

Saturn staggered to her feet as Sapphire took a step back in fear. Ichigo and Uryuu saw the same thing he was frightened of-a purple spirit aura was radiating from her injured body. One of her feet skidded to mimic Uryuu's stance as her gloved hands came together to grip a bow and a strung arrow. A purple bow and arrow of light formed as she struggled and strained to pull the arrow back. The spiritual bowstring bit into her fingers, slicing cloth and skin, dripping blood onto the ground.

Her black hair began to grow out before the Quincy and Soul Reaper's eyes. Uryuu saw something that shocked him completely. In Hotaru's place was a young woman in pale blue and white, looking like an altar boy in pumps with large Quincy talisman around her waist on a chain. Uryuu knew that young woman who's voice echoed in her heart.

_"Be gone, O Evil Spirit! I shall not permit your existence any longer! May the Soul Society forgive me for this! I have no choice but destroy this tainted Soul in order to protect this world from the likes of Hollows and Unclean Scum!"_

Saturn loosed her arrow and the amethyst energy shot towards Sapphire. The 2nd born prince gathered his power to defend himself but the spiritual arrow pierced his shoulder, forcing him to teleport to safety. Saturn's power dispersed into a bundle of amethyst colored ribbons as she returned to being Hotaru. Her weakened body collapsed onto the concrete/tarmac coated ground, not moving and bleeding through her bandages and her new wounds.

"Oh, no-Hotaru!" Ichigo rant o her side and scooped her up to hold the weakened girl in his arms. "Hotaru? Hotaru, wake up! Come on, you damned Saturian! Wake up, goddammit! Come on, dammit-answer me!"

"Ichigo…she can't answer you…she used up too much energy…" The Quincy said softly-his body and mind in shock. "…she's…she's going to die…she's not trained to give out so much power…"

"No! I am _not_ telling the Soul Society that I let one of the Sailor Senshi die-OKAY!?" Ichigo spat at Uryuu in sort of a panic. "I've got to get her home! She has a spare energy source in her room! If I can get her there-I'll save her life!"

The Soul Reaper cradled the broken Senshi in his arms as he grabbed the bag with Kon still inside. Kon had decided to keep silent through this whole affair, not wanting to become a target. Taking off at a run, Ichigo left a startled Uryuu in his wake. The Quincy snapped back to reality and scrambled after his orange haired classmate.

"Ichigo! Wait for me-dammit!"

* * *

Uryuu: "Lord Four-eyed bible thumper"?

Kaz: Duh. That charm bracelet has a cross on it and what is the religion that uses crosses? Christianity.


	7. Chapter 7

Be warned-looooong winded explanations ahead!

_

* * *

_

_"Wait a sec-I know that district. That's where all the rich kids live." Karin replied looking at the address Hotaru had written down. "Does Hotaru really live all the way out there?"_

_"It's on her train pass." Ichigo told his sisters. "If Rukia comes looking for me, send her to this address. I'll be at Hotaru's for the majority of the day, all right?"_

_"Why are you going home, Hotaru?" Yuzu asked a little bummed. "Did my cooking make you sick?"_

_Hotaru waved her hands nervously. "Oh, no-it was fantastic! It's just that I need my, uh, medication! I left it at home yesterday, thinking that I'd be home that night but since that wasn't the case…"_

_"Oh, I get it. It's one of those 'twice-a-day' Rx, huh?" Karin inquired. Hotaru nodded sheepishly. "Well, just carry the stuff with you from now on so we can have some here for you whenever you spend the night."_

_"I'll see if my legal guardians'll let me. If they say 'yes', I'll do just that." Hotaru responded with a bright smile as she followed Ichigo out of the house. "Bye! It was nice to meet both of you!"_

_Ichigo gently elbowed Hotaru's arm. "Medication, huh?"_

_Hotaru sighed a little relieved. "Uh, yeah. I technically don't have something called a 'pure heart crystal' so I have to consume shards of those of the departed when I expend too much energy. To heal up after incurring this many injuries, I need my shards to get better."_

_"Then why don't you carry them with you?" The Soul Reaper asked a little cluelessly._

_"I haven't been this badly injured in years and since I only have one really close friend, it's never been a problem. It doesn't help that I haven't used my powers to the extent I used to in such a long time." Hotaru admitted. "There just aren't any battles for me to fight anymore so I'm kind of pushed to the back burner. The other Senshi are my only friends. There are a few Terrans who know about us but they don't really like me. It's the kind of rep I've gained over the centuries."_

_Ichigo looked at her utterly surprised. She was so depressed. Why would anyone hate someone so sweet?_

_"Uh…Ichigo…?" Hotaru was taken by surprised as Ichigo embraced her like the day they met._

_"…I'm sorry I didn't meet you sooner. I'm sorry I left you alone for so long…I won't leave you alone ever again…I'm your new…your new best friend…okay?" Ichigo told Hotaru softly as he embraced her closer. "…just lean on me and I'll help you through anything and everything…I'll defend your honor and I'll beat up anyone who hurts you. I'll beat up anyone who makes you cry and…and I'll catch you everytime you fall. I promise, Hotaru-I promise."_

_Yeah…I kept my promise real good._ Ichigo thought bitterly as he looked through Hotaru's desk drawers. So far he had found nothing that looked like it would have crystal shards inside of it. "Hey, Uryuu-find anything yet?"

The Quincy came out of her bathroom with a blush plastered all over his cheeks. Ichigo arched an eyebrow at the archer.

"What's wrong, find her 'time-of-the-month' supplies?" The Soul Reaper teased. Uryuu held up a paper folded up into quarters. Taking it from him, Ichigo opened the folded letter. "It's a calendar for when her friends have their periods. So? They depend on her a lot."

"That's not it." Uryuu shook his head. "The little baskets in there are color coordinated with names on them but not one is purple with 'Hotaru'…"

Ichigo pointed to Hotaru's vanity's shelf under the left hand drawer. "Duh, stupid. She keeps her stuff separate. My sisters do the same thing. So do half the girls in our class. Hey, Kon, how's she doin'? Her energy coming back?"

The stuffed lion shook his head from his seat by Hotaru's pillow. "The girl's drained but she's barely holding a spark. You need to find those jewel shards and fast 'cuz that spark's gonna fade too. That charm over the desk, it holds some of her power. If you touch it, I think she'll regain it or something."

"The charm?" Ichigo looked at the little black cat sitting on the top of crystal with black bat wings. It had a cross on its neck but it was tiny. The crystal did hold a spark of her Saturian power within it. Ichigo stood and touched the dark purple crystal. The light glowed and made Ichigo pull his hand back. "Whoa, what the hell-?"

Suddenly a black cat with bat wings came out of Hotaru's open closet and ran over to her bed with a little case in its mouth. Sitting on Hotaru's chest, the winged cat opened the case with a tap of its paw and nipped up a piece of sparkling red crystal. It opened Hotaru's mouth and dropped the crystal into her mouth before running its paw down her throat to make her swallow. Its little pink tongue licked Hotaru's cheek as she came around.

"Mm? Titan?" Hotaru lifted a hand to stroke the cute little oddity. "What are you doing out of your statue? I thought I hung your mandalla charm over my desk. Did I put it on without realizing it?" Titan nuzzled Hotaru, purring like a machine with a catty smile. "Or did you come out to help me? That was it, wasn't it? You silly fuzz-ball. I'll have to seal you away deeper next time."

"If she hadn't, you would've been dead." Ichigo replied coming to help her sit up, moving the case off her chest. "We couldn't find your shards to help you."

"Oh, I packed away my 'trophies' a long time ago. I put the box up on the top shelf in my closet so no one would stumble across it by accident." Hotaru leaned more on her own injuries rather than against Ichigo. "I have more shard cases in that box as well. Someone taller than me will have to get it. I had Mamoru put it up there and he's 6'3"."

Uryuu's blush subsided and he cleared his throat. "How did you fire an arrow at that guy? That's a Quincy ability-especially channeling the Divine One's spirit! No one has channeled Her in lifetimes!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Hotaru asked with a little too much "Ichigo" in her voice.

"The Divine One! The All Powerful Quincy-the Divine Sophia!"

Hotaru thought about it. "Sophia…Sophia…I think I've heard that name before…hmmm, maybe one of Papa's old books has something on her…"

She got out of bed and popped a few more shards in to her mouth to swallow. Getting to her feet despite her injuries was pretty surprising-and it was half pissing Ichigo off. Titan curled up on Hotaru's pillow and yawned like this was a rerun of a popular show on for the 50 billionth time. Hotaru looked at the bookshelves in her room.

"Let's see…new age…astrology…history…WW2…'War on Terror: Soldier Memoirs'…nope, not the one I need this week…" Hotaru scanned the spines before coming to an old leather diary. "Ah, Papa's old journal. I had a feeling it would still be here." Hotaru opened the lock and flipped through the pages. " 'Sophia' is her Western name but here in Japan she's known as Kanade Asamura. She's not exactly dead but her grave was never found. It's all here, Papa's handwriting and everything." She held up a page that had a beautiful young woman.

Kanade/Sophia wore a long sleeved and high collared white dress with a pale blue altar tunic, cuffs and pumps to accent it all the more. Her sapphire blue eyes shined behind glasses and her long black hair was pulled back in a pale blue headband then in a semi ponytail with a pale blue scarf. The Quincy's cross was around both wrists, ankles, waist and neck with matching earrings on her ears. Her middle fingers, index fingers and thumbs were wrapped in bandages and she looked like she was going to break down if she had to do more things against her will.

"I was told she would kill Hollows without mercy but my vision and this drawing…they say otherwise." Uryuu looked at the picture in shock.

"According to Papa's research, Miss Kanade was in love with a Soul Reaper and she understood the role they played. She knew that Quincys didn't keep the balance but destroying it." Hotaru read from the journal. "It was her participation in the destruction of Hollows that made her known as the one to go to for executions-be they Soul Reaper, Hollow or Quincy. Her tally of kills…it's mostly her Quincy brethren…she killed any of them that dared to interfere with the Soul Society…"

"What happened to the Soul Reaper she fell in love with?" Ichigo asked as he looked at Hotaru while she flipped through pages.

"Ummm, it says that she had a Sailor Crystal and that the Soul Reaper and a Quincy were always battling for her attention." Hotaru read, her amethyst eyes scanning the pages. "It says back then, the worlds were intertwined and that Hollows attacked people freely with only the Underworld divided…um, the reason why she was called 'Divine' and 'All Powerful' was because…oh, God-she…she smashed her own Sailor Crystal and sealed off the worlds from one another entirely. The few rips, known as 'Spirit Gates' or 'Soul Paths' or 'Crossing Over', were given to the Soul Society to control and sort out the souls. The Quincys were given purification and exorcism rights to keep Hollows and Soul Parasites from trying to regain life in this world via possessions and hauntings…this was all done as a tribute to the Sacred Spiritualist, Kanade Asamura."

Uryuu and Ichigo looked at each other as Hotaru closed the book. The Quincy pushed his glasses higher up on his nose. "What the hell is a Sailor Crystal? I've never heard of that before."

Hotaru sat down in her desk chair. "I'd be surprised if you did and then you'd no longer be standing here. Those who know are…are Senshi like me. My type can sense the crystals if they pertain to their element but I can sense all of them."

"All of them? How many types are there?" Ichigo inquired. Hotaru sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"The number's never been confirmed but on average, a normal existing life form has about 3." The Silent Senshi explained as she looked down at the ground. "The Star Seed is what maintains the physical form. A Sailor Senshi's Star Seed is called a Sailor Crystal. The majority of Senshi are naturally female but you do have Knights and Starlights. The second crystal preserves and holds your sense of self and your personality, if you will. This crystal is called the Pure Heart Crystal. Everyone has one and it is possible to live without one but you'd be sort of like a zombie. The third crystal isn't really a crystal after you're born. The crystal is the Spirit Crystal, a force that dissolves to grant you your life force as soon as you leave the womb.

"These 3 crystals are the common factors that every life form shares. I, unfortunately, have none of them. It was discovered when Galaxia attacked us. No one knows why exactly but I only carry one crystal, the Crystal of Balance." Hotaru's face was a soft of sad indifference as she thought back. "You're not supposed to survive without these 3 but some how I can and because I can, Janus hid the Crystal of Balance within me. I can't access its power but I can feel it inside of me."

"What are Starlights? And what's the Crystal of Balance?" Uryuu asked as the two boys took seats. Uryuu sat on her vanity stool while Ichigo parked it on the edge of the Saturian's bed.

"You've mentioned Galaxia before but Janus is a new one." Ichigo added. "Who are they?"

_I should've never opened my big mouth._ Hotaru thought, a little bitterly. "Starlights are men who turn into women in order to become Senshi. The men who become Starlights have a similar crystal frequency as the true Senshi. I, myself, have a Starlight as my other half. He is the Crowned Prince of the Starlight home world, the Planet Kinmoku." Hotaru felt Hatori shift uneasily within her. He preferred that no one would know they were the same person. "The Crystal of Balance is an all-powerful jewel. Within it, war and peace coincide along with life and death. This Crystal is the corporal form of the push and pull of existence. If you hold just a shard, then you can tip the balance of power with your heart's purest desire. I desire nothing that I can have so I'm the perfect vessel.

"And Galaxia-Sailor Galaxia was the Galactic Cauldron's guardian. She is like me, a Senshi of Destruction, a woman who cannot create without destroying in the process. Chaos, the literal Root of All Evil, tainted her heart and made her chase after the Silver Imperium Crystal, Sailor Moon's Sailor Crystal. She took the Sailor Crystals of her fellow senshi and used them like puppets via gold cuffs on their wrists." This was always so hard for her to talk about but since she was the one who started talking about it, she had no one else to blame. "Janus I met when the Crystal of Balance was shattered and the Shards of Balance took me to different dimensions as the Protector of Dimensional Balance. It's still a title I hold. As the Dimensions' Guardian, his post is the Crossroads of Dimensions and he can't stray from his post for more than a micron before someone tries to invade it. He is very powerful but he is unable to use that power himself so he has to pick a Protector, one who doesn't have any alternate selves. Without my 3 crystals, I fit that requirement."

Ichigo came to Hotaru's side and put his hand on hers, crouching to be lower than her. Uryuu felt the burn of jealousy color his cheeks. Hotaru had her head bowed and upon closer inspection, it was discovered by both Soul Reaper and Quincy that she had fallen asleep. It seemed she still wasn't up to snuff to be up and around. Ichigo scooped her up and Uryuu moved her covers out of the red head's way. Gently laying Hotaru on her bed, Uryuu covered her up and Titan curled up on her stomach. Ichigo picked up Kon and the two teen boys decided it was best to leave and check in on her later.

Little did either know, both had left their cell phone numbers and addresses in the areas they had searched, hoping Hotaru would call upon one of them should she ever need help.

* * *

Hey, I warned ya. 


	8. Chapter 8

Uh, yeah-looong winded junk last chap but it was stuff you had to know. It plays into everything later on.

* * *

Diamond's eyes hardened at the confirmation of his younger brother's report. The Outer Senshi were awakened and the most deadliest was eternally a teenager, at the height of her power. This wasn't good. Their invasion of Earth was failing greatly and the Hollow Grave Lurker had been badly damaged, first by Sailor Saturn and then by a new Soul Reaper who was only holding it off.

The white haired prince had only heard stories of the Silent Warrior but the stories were all pretty gruesome-including the one about her own planet. Most of the stories had been proven wrong by Nehelina and Rubeus's older half sister, Kaori Knight but the battle at the Galactic Cauldron had been the one war to prove that she didn't know all what people said about her.

"Blood red eyes, black hair, white skin, even whiter fangs and silver claws-a living monster…" The eldest prince told his wounded brother who stood next to his throne as always. "Saturn is described as a demon but you saw something entirely different. You saw…how did you phrase it again?"

"What? Oh, I called her a 'battle torn angel'." Sapphire answered remembering the very Senshi who wounded him. "She was struggling to stay in her fuku and…and she said she was running on reserves."

"What? Oh, I called her a 'battle torn angel'." Sapphire answered remembering the very Senshi who wounded him. "She was struggling to stay in her fuku and…and she said she had done the impossible before…I think she was running on reserve energy, Brother."

Diamond looked at his little brother from the corner of his eyes. "So, Grave Lurker did some damage after all? That's good news amid this ocean of ugly turnouts. This means none of the others are in fighting condition. If Grave Lurker's attack didn't alert the Soul Society, then the next attack will have to be enough to draw Sailor Moon out of her little hiding place."

"What will you have it do?" Sapphire asked curiously as Diamond sighed with a shrug. "Why not have it target one of them in particular? It did say only 2 could see him and could do enough damage to wound its body."

"That's a good idea, Little Brother." The older brother stood. "In fact, I know just the one we can send the ingrate after. Have Esmerald and Rubeus set a course to a different planet."

Sapphire looked cluelessly at his Prince and brother. "Uh, which one, Brother?"

"Why, that's easy. We're going to Saturn."

* * *

Hotaru: -GULP!-


	9. Chapter 9

This chap's here for a reason of reflection later on. I didn't want to confuse you too much so here we go.

* * *

"Hello? Mr. Hat-and-Clogs, you here?"

"She shouldn't be here, Kurasaki. This place isn't intellectually stimulating enough." Uryuu chided as he, Ichigo and Hotaru stood out front of the spirit supply shop.

"It's alright. I don't have a first period." Hotaru smiled with a dismissive wave. "Besides, I've been hearing Ichigo talk about this place for the past few days. I'm curious on what this 'Mr. Hat-and-Clogs' sells honestly."

Ichigo half pounded on the doorframe. "Yo! Blondie! Wake up already! I've got someone knew to see this cruddy place!"

The rice paper and wood door opened to a blond man in a boonie hat, a kimono, and a haori with a smile on his face. "Why, good morning, Ichigo. Who are your little friends?"

"This loser's Uryuu Ishida, that Quincy I told you about." Ichigo jerked his thumb lamely at Uryuu but he stepped aside to show the shop keep Hotaru. She was in her red, white and blue uniform and her black pumps with her hair in a braid over her shoulder. Hotaru gave the shop owner a wave. "And this…this amazing young lady is Hotaru Tomoe. She's been sick for the passed week and a half so I haven't been able to bring her by."

The shop owner looked at Hotaru with his mouth open a little in shock. His blue eyes were both visible but still shadowed over from the bill of his hat. He stepped out of his shop door a couple feet and pointed at her.

"You're…you're Keiko's little girl, aren't you? You are…I'd recognize those amethyst peepers anywhere." He was in front of the Silent Senshi now and suddenly embraced her. "I can't believe you're so big! Last time I saw you, you were just learning how to sit up and walk! You're as beautiful as your mother!"

"Um, it's good to see you again?" Hotaru tried unsure how to react.

"It's alright if you don't remember me, Firefly. You were pretty young when we first met." He put her back on her feet and patted her head. His hand froze on her head and his looked into her eyes. "You've been in contact with a high level Hollow…and more than once. What did you think you were doing, going up against those who consume souls? You know that you don't have that kind of power." The blond man tilted her head back a little to see into her eyes without her glasses in the way. He let out a heavy sigh and gently hit her on the forehead. "Well, come on in. I had better get you ready for this new stage of your development. You boys can move along and go to school. I'll take care of Keiko's little girl here."

The Soul Reaper and the Quincy looked at him shocked. What was he talking about? Why did he want to talk to Hotaru alone?

"No way in hell-I'm not leaving Hotaru." Ichigo denied as the blond man gently grabbed Hotaru's wrist and pulled her to his shop. The Soul Reaper grabbed his friend's other wrist. "I said 'no way in hell'."

"I'll…I'll be fine, Ichigo. If I need either you or Ishida, I have you both on my cell phone." Hotaru assured him softly. "Besides, if you two stay here with me, our collective energies will alert the forces of Nemesis and any other youma pockets-even the Hollows could come here. I won't risk your lives in my problems." Hotaru wasn't looking at him. "And…and I do remember him. His name is Kisuke Urahara. He and my mother were friends, except my mother called him by his last name. Saturians can remember sounds from the womb and we can recall everything from our childhoods. We develop faster than any other race but our vocal speech is the last thing we learn to use. We speak with our undissolved Spirit Crystals but I'm the last one so…so I'm all alone and I can't die…I'll be fine, I promise. I'll…I'll call you when we're through, okay?"

Ichigo slowly released her wrist reluctantly and stepped back. "As long as you're sure, Hotaru…" Hotaru nodded, still not looking at him. "As soon as you're done with this whacko, you had better call me. If you don't, I'll call you in the middle of your classes. Understand?"

Urahara gently put his hand on her back and gave her a small push towards his shop. "Come on, Hotaru. We have much to do and very little time to do it all. This is going to be rough."

* * *

I wonder, I wonder...


	10. Chapter 10

To those who review and read:

**Taeniaea:** Here, I updated! It's late but it's up!

**Harpygirl91:** You love it? Really? Wow! I'm the writer of a good story?! ...Shocker.

**SesshyLover180:** The Soul Reaper Princess is the most powerful Soul Reaper to date. She's apart of the Royal family and thus was automatically made a soul reaper. Only the Captains know what she looks like-past and present-and, like Rukia, who has similar qualities to one of the living. It'll get clearer later on and I will reveal who it is but not now.

**Saturn's Spawn:** Yeah, I read it! It rocks! I have it favorited and I no likey your cliffies! Update for KAZI! UPDATE...please!

**moifah:** Here be your update. I think there's couple more after this that I'm posting today...yeah, at least one more if not 2.

* * *

Still no voice messages or texts and it was already lunch. Where was she? What was happening? Was she all right? Was Urahara taking care of her?

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what to do. Should he call her? No…she promised she'd call and if he called first, then he seemed desperate. He didn't want to seem desperate. It would possibly scare her away. Ichigo sighed. Why hadn't she called him yet?

"Check that cell phone one more time and I'll kick your ass, Ichigo." Tatsuki warned as Ichigo checked his voice mail for the umpteenth time.

"I'd like to see you try." Ichigo shot back, sending a text message to Hotaru's phone. "I have a friend that I'm a little worried about her."

"Is this 'friend' the same one you've been spending so much time with?" Rukia asked a little suspiciously. She had been like that since Ichigo was only around for his Soul Reaping duties. It really was pissing her off. Ichigo didn't care; to him, Hotaru was much more important.

Before Ichigo shoot back a snappish reply, his cell phone rang and he knew the ringer he had assigned to this number. He got up from the others and secluded himself to take the call. He pressed 'send' and let the caller have a piece of his mind as something out of the corner of his eye. He saw Hotaru with her cell phone, standing by the front gate of the schoolyard. He ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Where the hell have you been? Don't you realize how worried I've been?" Ichigo half demanded, giving her a little shake. Hotaru looked at him a little surprised at his reaction.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I just got done a little while ago." Hotaru admitted apologizing. "Mr. Urahara really worked me. He even helped me fashion a locket that'll help me displace your spirit if Kon's nowhere near by."

Ichigo saw the square shaped locket around her neck. No doubt to was meant to channel its energy through her body so she could merely touch him if a Hollow was near. Ichigo suddenly hugged her, showing her how worried he really had been. He pulled away and held her face in his hands.

"Don't you ever worry me like that ever again. I wasn't sure whether that Hollow got you or that Prince Sapphire guy." The deputy soul reaper told her firmly.

"I'm assuming this is the 'friend' you've been so worried about, Ichigo." Rukia's words cut their alone time short. And there she was, her arms crossed and the Lady Reaper was pissed. "She's pretty, for a mere human. Perfect Hollow bait, if I do say so myself."

"Kuchiki, Rukia. Soul Reaper of 150 years. A royal pain in the ass and the one reminder of 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's beloved wife who has left this world and the Soul Society." Hotaru rattled off, taking Rukia by surprise.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked with a hiss.

"Hotaru Tomoe of Tokyo, Japan." Hotaru responded calmly. She had a blank face, similar to the one she had as Sailor Saturn but her eyes weren't as cold. "It's been a while, Rukia. How's your brother doing? Is Byakuya behaving himself?" Rukia got suspicious immediately. "Although, he has Renji to keep track of so his life expectancy might have gone down a few hundred years."

Rukia suddenly attacked Hotaru. Her locket glowed as Rukia tackled her into the ground. Hotaru laid unmoving under Rukia, her eyes closed. A sword blade was put to the side of Rukia's neck.

"The next time you attack someone, make sure they can't become a Soul Reaper." Hotaru now stood behind Rukia as a soul reaper. Her black kimono had a white obi, no sleeves, and a short skirt with slits up the sides. Her hair was pulled back into high pigtails at the back of her head and black cloth was wrapped around her hands. Her zori had stiletto wedge heels with the straps up to her knees. She had a black ribbon tied around her neck. She had rod dangle earrings hanging from upside down triangle studs.

"You're a soul reaper?" Rukia was so shocked that she didn't notice that Hotaru had 2 zanpakuto, their scabbards on her back in an "X".

"I don't like being at a disadvantage when I have an enemy." Hotaru responded icily. "I've been attacked by a Hollow and only Ichigo came to help. You, Rukia, took your sweet damn time despite having that cell phone in your pocket. Its radar shows you where a Hollow is at and it took a mere flare of my energy to get Ichigo to come. Pray tell, Rukia-were you hoping I'd die so Ichigo could go back to only worrying about you, his family and Hollows?"

Rukia gasped silently at the question as Ichigo looked at Hotaru surprised. Hotaru pressed her blade closer to Rukia's throat.

"Do you know what would've happened if I had died? Ichigo would blame himself. His grief would destroy him. It was the grief of his mother's death that cemented his powers to the level they were at before you made him a Soul Reaper." Hotaru was really mad at the female reaper still over her body. "Just imagine what his powers would do now that he is a soul reaper. Do you now know the result your callus jealousy? Do you now recognize the price of that churning envy?"

Rukia bowed her head. "Yes…yes, I do…"

Hotaru sheathed both of her zanpakuto. "Good. I don't like being forced into doing things. Make me become a Soul Reaper without a Hollow ever again, and not even this cheap Gigai will save your sorry ass."

* * *

Yeesh! She ain't pulling any punches!


	11. Chapter 11

...And Rukia's digging herself one hell of a deep grave, ain't she?

* * *

"Soy ice cream? Are you even sure it's edible?"

"Lay off of her, Rukia." Ichigo hissed at the soul reaper female.

"I'm lactose intolerant. I can't have milk." Hotaru said automatically, licking her ice cream cone. She gave Andrew and Lizzie a cute little wave as they left Crown Arcade. "Crown's the only place that has anything soy that's decent. My father used to bring me here all the time before…before he died…"

Ichigo glared at Rukia for making Hotaru depressed. Tatsuki and Orihime grinned at Ichigo's over protective issues. Hotaru sighed, shaking her head. She lightly gripped the redhead's forearm and pulled him away from the female soul reaper.

"Come on, Ichigo. It's not proper for a gentleman to hit a lady, even if Kuchiki does deserve it." Hotaru towed him away. Her grip loosened and her body froze.

"Hey, Hotaru-are you alright?" Orihime asked catching the Senshi's ice cream cone. Hotaru clutched her heart and bit her lower lip. "Firefly, what's wrong? Tell us where it hurts. We can help."

_This pain…this isn't anything physical. My Element is under attack. It's the only way I could ever be in this much pain._ Hotaru growled in her thoughts as she looked up at a lamppost. On the top stood a man in white with a dark blue lined cape. One on of his hands had a sparkling crystal floating above his palm. He had an evil look on his face that mimicked a grin.

"Greetings, Little Sailor Warrior. I see that you are truly who you say. It's good to see that this Cosmic gem is yours, _Sailor Saturn_." His words sunk in to Ichigo and Hotaru only.

"Sailor Saturn?" Tatsuki repeated looking at the other girls. The man's fingers curled closer to the jewel.

"Gah!" Hotaru fell to her knees, her lip starting to bleed.

"Hotaru!" Ichigo passed his ice cream to Tatsuki and dropped to his knees to support Hotaru.

"You had better transform, Little Cosmic Soldier. If you don't, I'll cause your power to destroy you from the inside out." The glint in his eyes was psychotic. "I know how much you want to die but this won't kill you. You know you'll come back as a Daiba minion, like the rest of your planet."

"What is he talking about?" Rukia demanded as a chill came over the gathering of teens. "Ichigo-answer me!"

"That feeling…it's that damn Hollow again. It's Grave Lurker." Hotaru struggled to tell him. "You have to become a soul reaper, Ichigo. I'll fight the bastard up there while you battle this one down here."

"I understand." Ichigo nodded. Hotaru staggered to her feet, as he slowly rose to his.

"You want me to transform, you Nemesinain Prick-then I'll transform." A wicked smirk played on her lips. "But I've got to warn you, tempting someone boarder lining on a crystalline overload isn't a great health plan." Hotaru glanced back at the others. "Get to safety. My power's been bottled up far too long as I recovered. I can't be sure if you'll be in one piece once I transform so go back into the Arcade. Andrew and Lizzie will protect you. Rukia, take Ichigo into the alley and give him a hand. Grave Lurker needs a Soul Reaper to fight. He did a number on me last time."

"Okay…" Tatsuki nodded as the two humans backed up. Rukia was about to protest but Ichigo pulled her into an alley. Now that they were safe…

_"SATURN CRYSTAL POWER-MAKE UP!" _

The power of Silence wrapped Its power around her body, remaking it into the lean weapon she was infamous for. Her Glaive appeared before her and once she took hold of her loyal Talisman, her transformation was complete. Her body ached and thin cuts stained her white fuku with red and split her skin where her flesh was visible. Ichigo ran out of the alley as a Soul Reaper and took a good look at her.

"My power's fluxing. This kind of stuff happens." She said before Ichigo could ask. "Out of all the Senshi, I'm the only one that has ever been harmed by my own element."

"That's not good." Ichigo muttered drawing Zangetsu. "Wanna start the party?"

"Of course. _SILENCIA DESTROYER!"_ The attack backlashed, sending her back into the tree behind her. "Oh, ow-God…"

"I am Prince Diamond and I am your new master." The man on the lamppost wickedly laughed. "If I don't wish to be attacked, then you can't attack me!"

"Grave Lurker's near by…he's coming after my soul…" Saturn hissed, her talisman dissolving into ribbons. "I'll need to be a Soul Reaper as well. It's the only way I can fight."

"Do you think you can do it?" Ichigo asked as she let her powers return her to Hotaru. Her body slumped against the tree and a hand stuck out of her chest. Ichigo clasped it and pulled the lady Soul Reaper from her body.

"Good thing physical doesn't translate to spiritual." Hotaru brushed her pigtail off her shoulder. Grave Lurker growled, looking at the 2 soul reapers. Diamond's hand curled tightly around her crystal, shattering it. Ichigo looked back and saw her body shatter into light purple light fragments. "Don't worry, Mr. Urahara and I hadn't planned for this but I've improvised before and had success."

"That's not as bad as it could've been." Ichigo smirked. "So, what are the names of your 2 zanpakuto?"

"Name?" Hotaru looked so cute with that curious look on her face. "I didn't know they had names. Are they inscribed on the blades somewhere?"

"Time to die, ya lil sou' reapa' morsa'!" Grave Lurker sped forward, lunging at Hotaru and Ichigo. They leapt apart from each other and skidded to a stop across from each other. Hotaru drew her two blades.

"Enjoy your meal, Grave Lurker. I have Senshi to draw out." Diamond faded into nothing, leaving the Hollow with the two soul reapers.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Hotaru asked Ichigo. The Hollow turned towards her. "Uh-oh…"

"C'mere, ya lil bitch!" Hotaru crouched then dashed forward, dragging her 2 zanpakuto down its belly. Ichigo attacked from above, adding to the damage. "Y'all pay fo' dat! Ah'll eacha alive!"

The Grave Lurker's arm swung fast, catching Hotaru's blind spot and sending her into Ichigo. The 2 Soul Reapers ended up crashing through a window of a shop. Glass hurt as the shards bit into their flesh.

"You okay, Hotaru?" Ichigo asked, looking at her as the female reaper pulled a glass shard out of her bicep. It was a large piece and it looked like it hurt a lot.

"I'll be fine but I'm going to get that bastard. I'm stuck as a Soul Reaper. I don't like being dead." Hotaru tossed the shard away.

"But I thought you wanted to die." He muttered as he sat up.

"I do but I'm still alive and I'll always be alive because the Balance must be kept." She said bitterly. "I absolutely despise my role in life. Well, we had better do that puppet bastard in."

Ichigo got to his feet and helped Hotaru on to her feet. "I guess you're right. That Hollow has to be done in or he'll go on a rampage." He looked into the shop. "Did you feel that influx of Spiritual pressure?"

"Yeah, I did. It kinda feels like a gateway." Hotaru looked towards the same spot. And now she wished she hadn't said anything. A wall of light opened up and Urahara and a black cat came through it.

"Hotaru, Ichigo-quick! Get inside the gate! The Grave Lurker is after the pair of you! We have to get you away from him!" The cat ordered. Hotaru didn't hesitate and ran for the gate, scooping up the cat with Ichigo on her heels. Grave Lurker charged after them, its blood spilling on the ground. Urahara leapt backwards as the Hollow lunged. Its teeth closed on Hotaru's leg as it slid through the gate after them.

Without a second thought, Urahara drew his zanpakuto and delivered a heavy blow to the Hollow's head. Grave Lurker opened its mouth so Ichigo could pull Hotaru away. The gurgled curses and swearing of the Hollow were hard to make out as alarms of some kind went off. Hotaru's hands flew to her ears and she ground her teeth together, trying to dim the sound.

"Those are the sirens to alert the Soul Reapers to the presence of a Hollow!" Urahara scooped up Hotaru in his arms. "We have to get out of here!"

"What's wrong with Hotaru?" Ichigo asked as the 2 men and a cat started to run away from the injured Hollow.

"Yuichiro-care to answer that one?" Urahara asked of the cat on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Ms. Tomoe is power embodied. On Earth, her hearing and eyesight are already enhanced. Here in the Soul Society, those enhanced abilities are higher than hypersensitive because her power is converted to centuries of Spiritual pressure." Yuichiro answered the soul reaper teen. "The alarms are murder on her ears. If we don't find her a quiet place, her ears will bleed and she'll go deaf. If we hurry, then it'll only be temporary."

"The Repentance Cell is near soundproof but Hotaru's already been in places like that. I won't subject her to that ever again!" Urahara growled. Ichigo racked his brain.

"What about the Sewers? Do the sirens go off down there too?" Ichigo asked.

"No, it's not needed since it's below ground." Yuichiro shook his head. "Wait-there are underground shelters just off the sewers! If we go down there, we'll be able to find a safe haven! There's an entrance up ahead!"

"Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!" Hotaru's power fluxed and the ground crumbled beneath them. They'd drop into the sewer water if something wasn't done. Hotaru tensed up in Urahara's arms and a bubble of spiritual pressure wrapped around them, saving them and carrying them to the pathway along the putrid river.

"Hang on, Little One. We're almost in the clear." Urahara murmured to Hotaru. Ichigo glanced at her as the Senshi Soul Reaper whimpered.

"Her ears-they're bleeding!" Ichigo pointed out. "Where's those shelters?!"

0-0-0-0

Ichigo closed the heavy metal door as Urahara gently tilted Hotaru's head to look at her ears. The drying blood was tacky around her ears and on her hands. She still had her eyes closed and her jaw was so tense from grinding her teeth together. Urahara gently massaged Hotaru's jaw trying to get her to open it. The redheaded reaper looked at the once so strong warrior looked like a child in the former captain's lap.

"How is she?" Ichigo asked sitting down by them.

"She'll crack a tooth at this rate." Yuichiro said, curling up in Ichigo's lap.

"This is almost as bad as when she was a child. Keiko used to give her lollipops to keep her from damaging a tooth." Urahara muttered. "You should've seen the fit Keiko threw when she found that I was out of the lollipops to give to her. I've got one in my sleeve. It'll regenerate her spiritual energy and she'll heal but we'll have to move to a different location. Her 2 zanpakuto will radiate with any other like them. We must move."

"But she needs to rest." Ichigo responded as Urahara stood, Hotaru in his arms.

"I know but we have to get out of here." Yuichiro climbed on to Ichigo's shoulder. He got to his feet and the two soul reapers ran out of the bunker, following the flow of the sewers. Urahara looked at Ichigo, listening to the boy. "Wait, Squad 4! They have healers! If we take Hotaru to Squad 4, maybe the captain could help!"

"Unohana Retsu! She leads Division 4! She's the most powerful healer Division 4 has! If she can't help-no one can! We need to find any way to help her before it's too late!"

* * *

I wouldn't want those sirens going off as my morning alarms.

**Kakashi:** Now there's a good idea on getting you up in the morning.


	12. Chapter 12

They found Division 4...

* * *

"She's very powerful. Her natural core doesn't have natural pressure to conform around so everything is amplified." Unohana said, taking inventory of Hotaru's problem and injuries. Her vice captain Kotetsu Isane was behind her, writing down everything she said. "Without this natural pressure, it will continue to grow and it could kill her."

Urahara and Ichigo exchanged a look behind the Division 4 leaders' backs. "If that were to happen, what would happen to Hotaru?"

"Her unregulated spiritual pressure could destroy the Soul Society." Kotetsu concluded. "Right, Captain?"

"That's very good." Division 4's leader confirmed. "I'll heal her jaw and ease off the built up pressure but you'll need to have some sort of natural pressure to have what I can't ease off to conform around. Am I understood?"

"Of course. Thank you for your help, Retsu." Urahara thanked as Unohana healed Hotaru's jaw. At the same time, she siphoned Hotaru's element to her vice captain and into a glass teardrop. Purple light swirled and danced in the drop as Hotaru's eyes moved under her lids. Soon her eyes opened.

"Hello, young Soul Reaper. How do you feel?" Hotaru turned her eyes to Unohana and the lady captain's hand flew to her mouth in shock. "Oh, my God…"

"Captain, what is it?" Kotetsu inquired as her captain stood.

"I'll be right back. Take over until I get back." Unohana instructed leaving her office, getting looks from everyone but Hotaru.

0-0-0-0

Unohana hurried down to the barracks of Division 5 and nearly crashed into Aizen.

"Greetings, Unohana. What's got you in such a rush?" The warm hearted captain smiled.

"She…she…she's here! Aizen-she's back!" Unohana clutched the front of his kimono. His eyes looked at her full of shock. "She's here in the Soul Society!"

Aizen grabbed her shoulders. "Are you sure? Is it really her?"

"She has the same eyes, even the blood red tint to the amethyst color!" That made him release her shoulders in shock. "She's weak, pale. Her pressure is off the charts! She has changed so much but I can tell that it's her!"

"Please, Unohana-take me to her! I need to see her!" Aizen half pleaded.

The Division 4 caption nodded and led him back to the Division 4 barracks. Kotetsu was just out on the veranda, looking in the opposite direction. The two captains looked at her expectantly.

"Former Captain Urahara took the girl and left with his company. They said they had to get going before they missed the girl's dispatchment with her Division." She told them without knowing the problem. "The boy was her fellow on the same seat."

Aizen stepped forward. "Those two are in my Division. They were transferred earlier and I asked your captain to come get me when a girl with purple eyes came in for a quick check up."

"Oh, well, they went that way." Kotetsu pointed towards the way Urahara, Hotaru, Ichigo and Yuichiro had gone. "The girl was a little weak and the boy helped her get going but they went all the same."

"Damn." Aizen cursed under his breath. "We'll have to alert all of the Divisions to find her before someone unsavory gets to her first."

"Her pressure's not going to be easy to hide but she can hide what she is on Earth like it's nothing." Unohana responded to the other captain.

"Go alert the other captains. We're going to need all 13 Divisions for this hunt."

0-0-0-0

"I just don't get what it is that makes me have pigtails." Hotaru grumbled around her lollipop as she fixed her hair into a braided high ponytail. She folded the braid over and wrapped the folded braid in white cloth from the base to and inch from the braid's bend. "I just don't get it. It makes me look like a kid and the swords on the back aren't my style." She stuck them in her obi bow's base knot, having them angled for better movement and drawing the blades. "I guess this is as good as it's going to get."

"I take it you're feeling better." Urahara brushed her bangs back and pinned them into place with a barrette that had a skull with a bow on its crown. It made her look even more juvenile than the pigtails. Hotaru took it out of her hair and then put it at her left temple. "Okay, I take it you're being all around stubborn."

"A little, yeah." Hotaru confirm taking her lollipop out of her mouth. "So what's the plan now? They'll have the entire Gotei 13 after us."

Ichigo looked at Urahara. "Crash course on basics of being a soul reaper."

"And you forgot to mention that all zanpakuto have names?" Urahara hit his own forehead.

"I knew I skipped over something in her lessons."

Hotaru picked up Yuichiro off the ground. "That's all good and stuff but we need to get going. This may be one of the less patrolled areas but you know that they'll check here. Not to mention, Grave Lurker's still on the loose."

"The alarms don't bother you anymore?" Ichigo earn a head shake as the cat found the pendent around Hotaru's neck very interesting to play with. "That's good but they are getting annoying."

"It'll be like that for a while. They can't turn them off until Grave Lurker's toast." Yuichiro informed the 2 younger soul reapers. "But she's right. We need to get out of here. This is going to be the first place they'll look for her."

"I'm kind of tired, Urahara." Ichigo told the former captain.

"Yeah, me too." Hotaru agreed, taking her lollipop out of her mouth. "Can we find a place to get some rest?"

Urahara put his hand on Hotaru's head. "Not right now. We've got to move to higher ground. Stay close, you two. I don't want to lose either of you in this mess."

Ichigo offered Hotaru his hand and Hotaru took it, putting her candy pop back in her mouth. Yuichiro dug her claws into Hotaru's kimono shoulder to hang on. Urahara took off at a run and the two teenagers kept up the best they could as they took turn after turn after turn.

* * *

...And now they're on the run...again. Well, at least they're getting their exercise, right? 


	13. Chapter 13

Yeah, I know-"Kazuma, you loser-what the hell is with this mega late update?"

Well, 2 things: Vacation in Utah for 2 weeks and a virus attacked my dad's computer--the only one with internet.

**Ancient Death:** Yeah, I know. And they run around more in this one...I think...

**SessyLover180:** Thanks!

**Taeniaea:** Here's the update!

* * *

Kenpachi Zaraki, captain of the 11th Division, looked at Aizen in shock. "Are you positive that she's back? Maybe she's just a look a like."

"I thought that was the case at first but their blood's the same, Zaraki-the same." Aizen got nothing but utter astoundment from the much taller and scared man. "And the Grave Lurker is still loose, looking for her, hunting for her."

"That's not good. If he gets her or that girl…" Zaraki muttered. "It'll be worse than the time with Kaien…hey, did that Kurosaki kid's blood match up?"

"Yes, same as Kaien's. It would explain a lot, in a manner of speaking." Aizen sighed, pushing his glasses higher up on his nose. "This is getting us nowhere…divide up your people and have them patrol. With that Hollow still around, we have to find this girl first."

**KA-BOOM!**

"What the hell was that?!" Zaraki demanded, looking towards the less patrolled areas of the Soul Society. His eye grew wide as he saw the smoke rising. "Can you feel that pressure? It's greater than mine…"

Aizen mentally cursed. So the fighting had moved farther from them…how in the hell were they to help if the idiot was way over there?

"We have to get over there. Those ryoka could do more damage than the last time." Aizen said, already running ahead. Zaraki ran after him, keeping up without a problem.

0-0-0-0-0

"Go to hell, you bitch!" The soul reaper swung down, trying to cut Hotaru in half but she blocked with both her blades.

"I'll lend you my time-share!" She snapped pushing her power into her 2 Zanpakuto. _"Ginryuu! Kagetora! Balancing Strike!"_ Her left blade's engraving glowed sliver and the right's glowed black, the dragon and tiger becoming clear and evident. She pushed upward and slashed with both blades outward. The glowing arcs bloodied up the mob of soul reapers, sending them backwards. "Holy shit-I'm pooped. How do you guys do this day after goddamn day?"

Hotaru flopped on to her butt, her legs in front of her with her kimono falling off her shoulder. Her swords were in the ground, point down and she was absolutely out of breath. She flopped onto her back and closed her eyes. Ichigo stood over her, in her light. She open an eye at him with a slight scowl.

"Did you find their names out yet?" Ichigo asked, like a big brother would.

"Yeah, Ginryuu, the Silver Dragon, and Kagetora, the Shadow Tiger." Hotaru closed her eye and took a deep breath. "They are allies and yet they are opposites. Kinda like us, huh, Ichigo?"

"Yeah, 'Taru." Ichigo held out his hand to help her up. "Kinda like us."

She took his hand and he pulled her onto her feet. She stumbled and bumped into her friend. "Man, how do you guys do this all the time? I'm wiped."

"You'll get used to it, Hotaru." Urahara assured her kindly. "Now, come on. We've got to move before we get cornered again."

* * *

Aha! I knew she'd find the names soon!

**Rukia:** Well, YEAH. You're the writer, dumbass.

-scowls at shorter female- I don't care if you ARE 150--I'm taller than you and I've got a bigger cup-size.

**Rukia:** That's lewd!

-pushes glasses higher up on nose- Read 'Come Come Paradise' when you've asked about "the birds and the bees" at 11 and you'll have your mind in the gutter too.


	14. Chapter 14

Okay, I know this is mega short, but you get to "meet" the Soul Reaper Princess.

* * *

Gin Ichimaru, captain of the 3rd Division, stood by a four poster bed that was draped in gossamer white curtains. On that bed was a beautiful young woman in a white kimono tucked into white bedding. Her unbelievably long light brown hair was carefully braided and delicately piled by a corner of the bed. Her hands were folded on her stomach and her eyes were closed. She looked so peaceful with the white hilt and sheathed sword at her side. She had a circlet around her forehead that bore the crest of the Soul Society.

"Princess, your people need your strength." Gin Ichimaru told the sleeping beauty. "Without you to lead us, Princess, we are falling apart at the seams. Your father and your mother are being overwhelmed. They need you to awaken and take over the Gotei 13 again. We're a mess, my Princess. Oh, how we need you in this dark hour. This is the 2nd invasion of outsiders and we can't locate them. We have added more Soul Reapers to protect your chamber. We can't risk losing you; even in this state, we can't lose you."

She didn't move, not even once. She looked so beautiful in this suspended form. "Please, my Princess, you must awaken. Even my own plots have failed. I wish to put you back into power, back on the throne as you belong." Ichimaru sighed softly. "I will go now, my Princess, but I will return to your side to watch over you again. Until then, sleep peacefully, Princess. I will crush these Ryoka and they will no longer stand as a threat to you. My life for yours, Princess Midoriko. My life for yours."

* * *

Wow, the Orochi-macaroon clone actually has loyalties to someone other than himself. Shocker. 


End file.
